16 Reasons

Please excuse this non-food post...

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  1. The way you crab-crawled sideways…superfast. And then just started walking. I don’t remember you ever really crawling like a baby.
  2. The way you’d run to the door when I came to visit and would grab my finger and lead me to whatever you were working on or playing with.
  3. The way you didn’t talk for the longest time. Insensitive people suggested that you might be deaf or autistic. But we knew you weren’t because you could do all the animal sounds on the Baby Einstein tapes and you chanted along during the initiation scene in Finding Nemo. Hoo hoo ha ha.
  4. The way when you finally did start talking, one of the first things you said was, “My name is Jacob. Please do not call me Jake.” Well, okay then.
  5. Your perfect table manners when we went to Emeril’s in New Orleans when you were three. So what if you were sitting under the table. You were still a little angel.
  6. The way when you learned about the concept of love, you decided to tell random strangers that you did not love them. (Apologies to those random strangers.)
  7. Your Eiffel Tower dance and song. “Eiffel Tower, you’re so so so so tall.”
  8. The way you would pick out toys you thought your friends would like to play with before play dates.
  9. When you were raising silkworms and brought them to the beach. And a bird swooped down and ate one. And you were so upset but didn’t know what to do because you love birds, but it ate your silkworm!
  10. Your love of birds and how you broke into tears of joy when you found out you were getting a bird for Christmas.
  11. Your heartbreak when that bird flew away.
  12. Your guitar playing—you are so good!—and your music.
  13. The way you nagged us (and still do) to make Jake’s Cakes a reality.
  14. The way you kept your grades up, even while you were in swimming. Ugh!   
  15. The way you’ve kept your friends, from pre-school on up, and fiercely refuse to let anyone drift away.
  16. The young man you are becoming.

For all these reasons and more, it has been an adventure and a pleasure to watch you grow up.

Happy birthday Jake!

Love, 
Aunt Sue

Susan